A discussion meeting was conducted at the premises of Saranalayam NGO, Tirunelveli on 25-09-2019 on the topic “The life and development of Transgenders”. Rev. Fr. A. Jeyapaul, the Director of Saranalayam NGO welcomed the participants. Mr. Pon. Manoharan, the Director of Pache Trust explained about the objective of the programme. Mr. Jeyakumar, District Supervisor, DAPCU-Tirunelveli delivered a special address. Totally 123 Transgenders participated in the programme. The details of the choice of the self-employment were obtained from the transgenders in a given format. Mr. S. Saravanan, the Commissioner of Tirunelveli City Police and Mr. E. Satish Kumar, the Asst. Commissioner of Tirunelveli City Police also gave special speech on the occasion and also interacted with the transgenders.

The following are the opinions expressed by the transgenders:

• Efforts will be taken to get the assistance from the Government on the upliftment of the lives of the transgenders (Identity Card, Ration Card and CM Insurance)

• Government proceedings will be initiated for the willing and qualified transgenders to get Training material and Exam Handbooks for the position of Station Police and Sub-Inspector.

• Efforts will be taken to recruit transgenders in the village police protection force.

• Assistance will be given to the transgenders if they are willing to pursue higher studies (after Higher Secondary)

• Arrangements will be made for the transgenders to get skill development training of their choice and to get loans for the same.

• Efforts will be taken to conduct this type of meeting at regular intervals so that the transgenders lead a life of dignity by becoming good entrepreneurs.

• It is believed that these type of efforts will improve the lives of the transgenders to certain level.

• The individuals and the service providers are welcomed with wide-open arms if they are willing to support the cause of the transgenders.

• A question has been raised whether it is right to discriminate the transgenders who are very much present in our society while the same society worships Lord Arthanareeswarar.

Success is progressive realization

• The list of transgenders who are preparing for the competitive exams to become Sub-Inspector:

• A discussion meeting was conducted on 25-09-2019 at Tiruneveli on the topic “The life and development of Transgenders”. The transgenders participated in it and placed the following petitions:

• Four transgenders who have completed their graduate studies are willing to write competitive exams on Sub-Inspector of Police.

• On 30-09-2019, Mr. S. Saravanan, the Commissioner of Tirunelveli City Police has given books to Mrs. Sundarakani, Project Manager, Pache Trust to be given to the above-mentioned four transgenders.

• An arrangement has been made for Ms. Subhashini, a transgender to get trained for competitive exams at an academy being run by Tirunelveli Social Society (TSS).

• To accomplish more of the requests given by the transgenders, Mrs. Sundarakani, Project Manager, Pache Trust and Mr. Magesh, the Manager of Annai Theresa NGO had a detailed discussion and decided to meet the requests of the transgenders one by one.

Even though the future seems far away, it is actually beginning right now.

Sewing Machine to the Transgenders:

• Instead of keeping cut-outs and flex banners on the release of the film “Asuran” in which Actor Dhanush acted, two sewing machines were given to the transgenders in a function held on 03-10-2019 at Saranalayam NGO premises..

• After the discussion meeting, the transgenders have joined the competitive exam centres after getting the required books.

• Mr. Saravanan, the Commissioner of Tirunelveli City Police and Mr. E. Sathish Kumar, the Asst. Commissioner of Tirunelveli City Police have handed over two sewing machines to Ms. Stella and Ms. Anupoorni, the transgenders. These two machines were donated by the Fan club of Actor Dhanush, Tirunelveli City.

• The Commissioners whole-heartedly thanked the coordinators of the programmes namely the Fan Club of Actor Dhanush, Pache Trust and Saranalaya NGO.

Equal Rights to All

• A pre-planning meeting was conducted on 17-12-2019 at the premises of Pache Trust, Tirunelveli for the self-employment training.

• Mr. P.V. Varshith Kumar, Secretary, District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Advocates D.A. Prabhakaran and Jeyasudha, DLSA, Mrs. Jeyalakshmi, Inspector of Police (Crime), Tirunelveli and Mr. Vellapandi, Project officer, Mahalir Thittam have participated in it.

Objective of the meeting:

• To select the training centre for sewing training, duration and beneficiaries

• To solve the problems faced by the transgenders at the Tirunelveli New Bus stand smoothly.

• To give the training on preparing household things through IOB RSETI(Indian Overseas Bank - Rural Self Employment Training Institute.

• To get the social welfare schemes through the guidance of DLSA (Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment scheme – 32 TGs; Farmers Protection Identity Card – 32 TGs; TG pension scheme – 40 TGs; Free House Patta – 18 TGs; Ration Card – 52 TGs; Free Medical Insurance Programme – 52 TGs)

Learning the Self-Employment Skills

Mr. Vetrivel, Manager, Indian Oversees Bank which is the nodal bank for the Tirunelveli district has suggested that the transgenders to join the IOB Rural Self-Employment Training Institute (IOB-RSETI) so that they get trained in the self-employment and gain skills so that they may use it to improve their economical situation.

A discussion meeting for transgenders was held at Narasinganallur on 11-01-2020 on the occasion of Pongal festival which was conducted in the presence of Mr. Siyamala Nathan, Director of IOB-RSETI. Mr. Ramesh, Asst. Project Officer, Mahalir Thittam, Mrs. Vijaya of Mahila Sakthi Kendra Project of Social Welfare Department and Mr. M. Jeyakumar, District Supervisor, DAPCU had participated in it.

The following were discussed:

• 20 Transgenders have applied for the training on preparing household goods like Masala Powder, Juices, Pooja items, Paper bags, etc.

• The self-employment training agencies like IOB-RSETI, THADCO, District Industrial Institute and Mahalir Thittam explained their training programmes.

• Procedures of marketing the manufactured goods, subsidy, loans and the participation in the industrial exhibitions were discussed.

A True Reader Never Ends the Reading

• A knowledge festival cum Book Exhibition was held on 1-02-2020 at V.O.C. Grounds, Palayamkottai, Tirunelveli.

• A 24-hour “Chain Book Reading” was conducted, not just for the book-readers, but to rope in the people who are not having the habit of reading the books. This was organised by the District Administration.

• On behalf of the Pache Trust, TGs Ms. Subhashini and Ms. Dhishika, Mrs. Sundarakani, the Project Manager participated and read different books continuously for 10 hours. Certificates were also awarded to the participants of the Pache Trust by Mrs. Shilpa Prabhakar, the Collector of Tirunelveli District on 10-02-2020 at the closing ceremony of the Book Exhibition.

All are equal

A free legal awareness camp was conducted on behalf of DLSA on 24-02-2020 at Narasinganallur by the Mr. Justice A. Naseer Ahemad, the Principal Judge of Tirunelveli District in which information was given to the transgenders to safeguard their rights and to get their basic rights. Mrs. Justice S. Subha Devi, Permanent People’s District Court, Mr. P.V. Varshith Kumar, Secretary, DLSA, Mr. S. Sekar, Asst. Commissioner, District Police Human Rights, Mr. S. Sivasuriya Narayanan, President, Tirunelveli District Bar Association, Mr. M. Balan, the Sub-Inspector of Police, Suthamalli and Advocates D.A. Prabhakar and Pugazhendi participated in the camp. 75 tree-siblings were planted at the TG colony, Narasinganallur on the occasion.

The following points were discussed:

• Basic amenities like street lights and drinking water should be given tot the TG Colony at Narasinganallur.

• The construction of 30 new houses should be immediately completed.

• 13 TGs who are above the age of 40 were given the old age pension.

• 16 TGs will start their sewing training on 16-03-2020 through Mahalir Thittam.

• Applications were received to make name changes in the education certificates by obtaining the signatures of the Medical Officers. The support of the district administration was sought by the TGs.

• 22 applications were received by the TGs to get free house-patta.

The District Administration that makes remarkable changes in the lives of the Transgenders.

1. The TG community was discriminated widely by the society and they were not able to get proper employment opportunities. So they are forced to choose wrong paths.

2. A few months back, a consultation meeting was held at Pache Trust on the topic “The lives and welfare of Transgenders” in which so many suggestions were made.

3. Accordingly, skill development training in Sewing was conducted by Mr. Michael Antony, Project Officer, Mahalir Thittam and suggestions on obtaining employment loans were also given.

4. The training was started by Mrs. Shilpa Prabhakar, the Collector of Tirunelveli on 16-03-2020. Mr. S. Saravan, the Commissioner, Tirunelveli City Police, Mr. Michael Antony, Project Officer, Mahalir Thittam, Mr. Sekar, Asst. Commissioner, District Police Human Rights Wing and Mrs. J. Sundarakani, Project Manager, Pache Trust had also participated in the programme.

5. It was expressed in the programme that 2 sewing machines were donated by the Fans Club of Actor Dhanush to the Transgenders about a few months back. With these 2 sewing machines, the concerned TGs are doing good business.

The programme was arranged by Mr. Raman, Mr. Murugan and Mr. Vellapandi, the Asst. Project Officers of Mahalir Thittam and the staffs of Pache Trust, Tirunelveli.